Strand guide



1 m I l JNVENTOR. ROBERT I? SMITH 2 S m m m Dec. 20, 1955 R. P. SMITHSTRAND GUIDE Filed March 9. 1954 HIS ATTORNEY United States Patent DIndustrial Ceramic Corporation, New Haven, Conn, a corporation of NewYork Application March 9, 1954, Serial No. 415,141

6 Claims. (Cl. 242-'157) This invention relates to a strand guide of thegeneral type used for winding yarn or strands of material from a supplyspo'ol onto a cone or receiving package, and has for its purpose toafford a practical and eflicient structure that enables using an eye ofhard abrasion-resistant material for contact with the yarn as the lattertravels through the guide while protecting the abrasion-resistantmaterial effectively against breakage or damage.

It is essential in strand guides for the purpose mentioned to employ forthe guide eye a material that is sufficiently hard to resist effectivelythe friction of the yarn or other material passing thereover so that itis not cut or worn by such continuous use and friction. Materials thathave been found most satisfactory for this purpose are brittle andlikely to be broken if struck by a bobbin or otherwise, and whilevarious structures have been designed to protect such anabrasion-resistant eye against breakage, these have been found notentirely satisfactory for the intended function, and it is a particularpurpose of the invention to afford a simple structure that can beeconomically produced, which is easily assembled, and which affordsgreater strength to the abrasion-resistant eye and greater resistance tobreakage than in the strand guides heretofore available.

In the customary operation of winding machinery, it is not unusual for abobbin or other part of the machine being elevated from beneath thestrand guide or being lowered from above the guide to strike theabrasionresistant material of the eye, audit is a particularpurpos'e ofthis invention to support the abrasion-resistant eye more firmlythroughout its entire length and render it less likely to breakage,While giving it greater rigidity and strength, at the same timeaffording an effective interlock between the abrasion-resistant eyeaudits metal support or holder so that the abrasion-resistant eye issecurely held in the metal holder against either lateral or endwiserelative movement. v

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the construction "andarrangement of parts that will appear clearly from the followingdescription when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the.novel features being pointed out in the claims. following thespecification.

in the drawings:

i Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating one embodiment of theinvention, and showing the strand .guide in approximate operativeposition, in contact with a body ofyarn being wound onto a receivingcone;

Fig. '2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken centrallythrough the metal holder and abrasion-resistant y Fig. 3 is a top planview of the guide eye and metal holder;

Fig. 4 is a'bottornplan viewof the-same;

Fig. is a view in side elevation of the device, looking in thebppositedirection to'Fig. 1,;

Fig. 6 is a view inelevationto'f tthe'liront end;

2,727,704 Patented Dec. 20, .1955

Fig. '7 is aview in elevation of the rear end; I

Fig. 8 is a detail transverse sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 4; v

Fig. 9 is a detail transverse sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 10 is ahorizontal sectional view.

Referring more particularly to the drawings in which like referencenumerals refer to the same parts throughout the several views, theinvention is illustrated in connection with a preferred embodimentcomprising a guide eye of suitable hard abrasion-resistant materialwhich includes a continuous side portion 1 along one side, a curvedouter end portion 2 having an 'arcuately curved periphery, and spacedouter and inner side portions 3; and 4 respectively along theoppositeside of the guide eye, the outer surfaces of which are offset laterallyfrom one another as shown. 5 designates an inclined lateral openingbetween the side portions 3 and 4 through which a strand can be threadedinto the guide eye, while 6 designates the inner end portion of the eyeprovided on its upper surface with a transversely curved longitudinallyextending recess or cutaway portion 7 over which the strand passes as itis fed through the guide eye.

The side and end portions of the guide eye are of 'gen erallyrectangular cross-section and their exterior surfaces of uniform andsubstantial depth throughout, while the side portion 1, curved endportion 2, and outer side portion 3 are provided with a groove or recess8 preferably 'of rectangular cross-section extending entirelytherearound from the inner end of the guide eye around the curved 'outerend 2 and to a point spaced from the inner end of the side portion 3.The recess "or groove '8 is located intermediate the top and bottomsurfaces of the guide eye preferably at apoint spaced from both the topand bottom surfaces and preferably slightly closer to the top surface ofthe guide eye all for a purpose that will appear presently.

The guide eye is provided on its undersurface 'at the :outer end with agroove or'recess 9 that receives theyarn as the latter travels throughthe eye onto the receiving cone or package, and 11 designates a sleeveforming part of the metal holder and adapted to telescope over thecylindrical upper end of the arm 12 which "is mounted for pivotalmovement toward and .away'from the cone 'or yarn body onto which thestrand is wound, as usual in this type of winding machinery.

Tre metal holder includes a base "13 that extends over and abuts thebottom surface of the inner end portion of the guide eye and has aforwardly projecting portion 14 that extends over the bottom of the sideportion 1 and abutsian "enlargement 15 formed on the bottom of the sideportion 1 of the abrasion resistant guide eye, acting to preventrelative endwise movement in "one direction be- :tween the guide eye andthe metal holder, while the 'base 1-3 and extension 14 afford aneifect-ive guard for the inner end portion of the guide eye. The metalholder also includes an upstanding wall or 'fl'ang'e 16 that embracesthe outer surface of the side portion 1 of the guide eye and anupstanding wall or 'tian'ge 1-7 that embraces the outer surface of theside portiond of the. guide eye, both flanges 1 6 and 17 extending topoints adjacent to the top of the guide eye.

The ,problem in structures of this general character such as illustratedin Patent No. 2,663,516, December 22, 1953, has been to provide theguide eye with adequate strength, rigidity, and resistance .to breaking,particularly at the outer end of the eye, while leaving the eye free toguide the "strand without it contacting any metal parts which woulddamage the yarn or strand as it 'feeds through, and this isaccomplishedinthepresent structure by the p'rovisi'onof a brace bando'fmetal or other suitable stiff, strong material located in theaforementioned groove'or recess 8. The brace band indicated at 18 ispreferably of rectangular cross-section fitting snugly within the groove8 and flush with the outer side surfaces of the guide eye. The braceband 18 which fits within the groove or recess 8 is attached by suitablesolder means to the flange or wall 16 of the metal holder. The braceband 18 is first positioned in the groove 8 of the guide eye extendingfrom near the inner end of the side portion 3 around the curved outerend 2 and to the inner end of the side portion 1, and is attached by abody of solder 19 to the wall or flange 16 of the metal holder, thesolder connection preferably extending between the brace band 18 and theflange 16 throughout the length of the latter.

In assembling the parts, the brace band 18 is positioned in the groove 8of the guide eye which is then inserted together with the brace band 18into the metal holder between the flanges 16 and 17 until the projectionor abutment 15 of the guide eye is engaged with the extension 14 on thebase 13 of the metal holder, and the solder 19 is applied between themetal brace band 18 and the metal side Wall or flange 16 of the holder.

When thus attached, the brace band 18 extends around the curved outerend of the guide eye and acts as a strengthening and stiffening meansfor the outer end and effectively lends greater rigidity to the outerend of the guide eye and renders it considerably less likely to bedamaged or broken if struck by a bobbin or otherwise. The brace band 18,being attached to the metal holder and extending around the outer end ofthe guide eye, re-

tains the latter positively against endwise movement relatively to themetal holder in one direction while relative movement of these parts inthe opposite direction or inwardly of the metal holder is prevented bythe abutment 15 formed on the abrasion-resistant material of the guideeye engaging the extension 14 on the base of the holder.

The forward edge of the flange 17 is preferably curved and alsobevelled, as shown at 21 in Fig. 5, to facilitate threading a strandinto the eye, the bevelled edge 21 forming in effect a continuation ofthe inclined forward edge of the side portion 4, and completing theinclined slot 5.

While the invention has been described in connection with the particularconstruction herein shown, it is not restricted to the details disclosedand this application is intended to cover such modifications ordepartures as may come within the purposes of the improvement or thescope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A strand guide including an eye of hard abrasionresistant materialconsisting of a continuous straight side portion along one side, acurved outer end portion, and spaced straight side portions along theopposite side forming with the first mentioned side portion an elongatedopening and affording a lateral slot to permit inserting a strand intothe eye, a metal holder including a base underlying and extending overthe inner end portion of the eye, said base terminating at said lateralslot, upstanding flanges on said holder engaging the adjacent outersurfaces of the eye, and a brace band extending around said curved outerend portion of the eye and attached to said metal holder.

2. A strand guide including an eye of hard abrasionresistant materialconsisting of a continuous straight side portion along one side, acurved outer end portion, and spaced straight side portions along theopposite side forming with the first mentioned side portion an elongatedopening and affording a lateral slot to permit inserting a strand intothe eye, a metal holder including a base underlying and extending overthe inner end portion of the eye, said base terminating at said lateralslot, upstanding flanges on said holder engaging the adjacent outersurfaces, of the eye, said eye having a groove extending along saidcontinuous side portion and around said curved outer end portion to theopposite side of the 4 eye, and a brace band located in said groove andattached to the adjacent flange of the metal holder.

3. A strand guide including an eye of hard abrasionresistant materialconsisting of a continuous straight side portion along one side, acurved outer end portion, and spaced straight side portions along theopposite side forming with the first mentioned side portion an elongatedopening and affording a lateral slot to permit threading a strand intothe eye, said eye being of substantially rectangular cross-sectionthroughout, a metal holder including a base underlying and extendingover the inner end portion of the eye, said base terminating at saidlateral slot, upstanding flanges perpendicular to said base e11- gagingthe adjacent outer surfaces of the eye, the eye having a grooveextending along said continuous side portion and around said curvedouter end portion, said groove being arranged between the top and bottomsurfaces of the eye and terminating at a point spaced outwardly fromsaid lateral slot, and a brace band located in said groove flush withthe outer side surfaces of the eye and attached to the adjacent flangeof said metal holder.

4. A strand guide including an eye of hard abrasionresistant materialconsisting of a continuous straight side portion along one side, innerand outer straight side portions along the opposite side spaced fromeach other forming with the first mentioned side portion an elongatedopening through which the strand travels and affording a lateral slotthrough which a strand is threaded into the eye, a curved outer endportion connecting opposite side portions and a guiding portion at theinner end connecting opposite side portions, said curved outer end andthe inner end being cut away on the top and bottom of the eye affordingstrand-receiving grooves extending longitudinally of the eye permittinga strand to travel over the inner end portion and thence through the eyeand under the outer end portion, a metal holder including a baseunderlying and extending over the inner end portion of the eye, saidbase terminating at said lateral slot, flanges extending perpendicularlyto said base portion and located in engagement with the adjacent sidesurfaces of the eye, the eye being of substantially rectangularcross-section throughout and having a groove extending along saidcontinuous side portion and around said curved outer end, said groovebeing located between the top and bottom surfaces of the eye andterminating in spaced relation to said lateral slot, and a brace bandlocated in said groove and extending along said continuous side, aroundsaid curved outer end and terminating at the end of said groove, saidbrace band being fixedly attached at its inner end to the adjacentflange of said metal holder and the eye having an enlargement formedthereon on its bottom surface adjacent to the forward terminus of thebase of the metal holder on the continuous side portion of the eye andacting to limit relative movement between the eye and metal holder inone direction while relative movement of the metal holder and eye in theopposite direction is prevented by said brace band.

5. A strand guide including an eye of hard abrasionresistant materialconsisting of a continuous straight side portion along one side, anouter straight side portion along the opposite side connected to saidcontinuous side portion by a curved outer end portion, an inner straightside portion connected to said continuous side portion by an inner endportion and spaced from said outer side portion to afford a lateral slotthrough which a strand is threaded into the eye, said curved outer endportion and said inner end portion having recesses formed on the bottomand top respectively thereof to afford strand-receiving groovesextending longitudinally of the eye permitting a strand to travel overthe inner end portion and thence through the eye and under the outer endportion, the eye being of substantially rectangular cross-sectionthroughout and the outer' surface of said outer side portion beingofiset outwardly from the outer surface of said inner side por- 75,tion, a metal holder including a base underlying and engaging the bottomsurface of the inner end portion of the eye, said base terminating atsaid lateral slot, upstanding perpendicular flanges on the baseembracing the outer surfaces of the adjacent side portions of the eye,the eye having a groove extending along said continuous side portion andaround the curved outer end portion, said groove being located betweenthe top and bottom surfaces of the eye and terminating at a point spacedfrom said lateral slot, a brace band located in said groove extendingalong said continuous side portion and around said outer end portion,said brace band terminating at a point spaced from said lateral slot andbeing rigidly fastened to the adjacent flange of the metal holder, saidbase of the metal holder extending forwardly along said continuous sideportion of the eye to a point approximately intermediate the inner andouter ends of the eye, and an enlargement on the undersurface of the eyein engagement with said extension on the base acting to limit relativeinward movement of the eye in relation to the metal holder whilerelative outward movement of the eye in relation to the holder isprevented by said brace band.

6. A strand guide including an eye of hard abrasionresistant materialconsisting of a continuous straight side portion along one side, anouter straight side portion along the opposite side connected to saidcontinuous side portion by a curved outer end portien, an inner straightside portion connected to said continuous side portion by an inner endportion and spaced from said outer side portion to afford a lateral slotthrough which a strand is threaded into the eye, a metal holderincluding a base underlying and engaging the bottom surface of the innerend portion of the eye, said base terminating at said lateral slot,upstanding fianges perpendicular to said base embracing the outersurfaces of the adjacent side portions of the eye, and a brace bandextending around said curved end portion and along said continuous sideportion, said band being rigidly attached to the adjacent flange of themetal holder.

' References Cited in'the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,296,479 Cass Mar. 4, 1919 2,202,937 Wolfe June 4, 1940 2,323,987Foster July 13, 1943 2,663,516 Pieper Dec. 22, 1953

